YUCAIPA – A kindergarten student is taking her love of drawing to a new level.

Five-year-old Daisy Lopez is selling her handmade artwork to help raise funds for the American Red Cross, which, in turn, will help victims displaced by the quake and tsunami in Japan.

“My husband and I were watching some footage of the tsunami on YouTube and she just happened to see it,” said Daisy’s mom, Sarah Lopez.

“She was devastated and kept asking us questions about why it happened. She’s 5 so we tried not to make it so graphic,” she said. “But we explained to her that many are not going to be able to go home, don’t have food and shelter and many (residents) are still missing. She was heartbroken.”

Sarah Lopez said her daughter immediately asked how the Yucaipa family could help the victims, and the idea of helping raise money for the Red Cross came to mind.

After learning more about the organization, Daisy came up with the idea to start giving away her handmade portraits to those who wished to donate to her cause.

So far, she’s raised more than $150.

“(I’m) helping Japan because God loves everyone and we have to take care of each other,” Daisy said. “(I) want to help them get food.”

Each drawing also includes a special message of hope, said the girl’s mom.

“Each drawing has been totally different and she’s putting them out so fast, I can’t keep up,” said Sarah Lopez. “But she’s trying to shed light on the situation over there.”

Sarah Lopez said donations have been coming in from local businesses and many of her own neighbors. Donations have ranged from 50 cents to $20.

“You give a donation, you get a drawing. Some people have bought a couple, some people bought one, but I am taken back by it all,” she said. “I’m so surprised that she’s so young and doing so much.”

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